SERIOUS-MINDED Synonyms: 49 Similar and Opposite Words

serious-minded

adjective

Definition of serious-minded

as in earnest

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of serious-minded Inside, serious-minded speakers compete with bursts of music and chanting from neighboring pavilions. — Jeff Young, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 Nov. 2025 But a bigger problem is that his earnest, hard-working performance can’t help but utilize the same tools now familiar from much less serious-minded contexts. — Dennis Harvey, Variety, 12 Nov. 2025 Gore then spent eight years earning a reputation as a smart, serious-minded governing partner to Clinton. — Time, 3 Nov. 2025 In this more serious-minded (and Madea-free) movie from Perry, Idris Elba plays Monty, a hard-working father who loses custody of his daughters to his drug-addled wife (Tasha Smith). — Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 14 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for serious-minded

Recent Examples of Synonyms for serious-minded

Adjective

Hemsworth’s work has always spanned genres—just look at his omnivorous DJ sets—but Numbskull positions him as a more traditional songwriter, underscored by the album’s personal, earnest tone.

— Mehan Jayasuriya, Pitchfork, 22 Oct. 2026
Her earnest speech, after the curtain came down, made headlines.

— Sarah Crompton, Vogue, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of earnest

Adjective

The Tallahassee Police Department said in a statement that 11 of the 12 were shot and that three victims had serious injuries, with one minor in serious condition.

— Samantha Cookinham, NBC news, 25 Oct. 2026
Bake this classic all the way through for a light and tender crumb, or cut the bake time short for serious gooey goodness in the center.

— Mary Shannon Wells, Southern Living, 25 Oct. 2026

Definition of serious

Adjective

The story is told from the perspective of infant twins with divergent personalities—Rose is unguardedly buoyant, whereas Marigold is watchful and introspective.

— Hannah Goldfield, New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2026
Thankfully, Brandon is one of Austen’s most introspective suitors, and Nordrum is not unlike the character in real life — thoughtful, gentle and a little self-effacing.

— Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of introspective

Adjective

The daughter of a brass tree guest told me that on the last day, her mother pulled her aside and offered a somber warning.

— Kate Berlant, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Oct. 2026
Miller's new ad opens with a somber sequence of close-ups of various people's faces as the congressman talks about how divorce affects families.

— Lara Korte The Washington Post, Arkansas Online, 18 Oct. 2026

Definition of somber

Adjective

The spirituality throughout is imbued with a solemn reverence more Catholic than Baptist.

— Kiana Mickles, Pitchfork, 13 Oct. 2026
This production, solemn about our obligations to one another but committed to providing a good night out at the theater, is neither.

— Daniel D'Addario, Variety, 2 Oct. 2026

Definition of solemn

Adjective

To cope with this reality, philosophical and religious traditions such as Buddhism and Stoicism have long focused on transience, unpredictability, and the inevitability of change and loss.

— Maia Szalavitz, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026
Their enduring presence in literary and philosophical discussions speaks to the core function of the humanities—to explore, question, and better understand the forces that define our existence.

— Maria Papadouris, JSTOR Daily, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of philosophical

Adjective

The high-wire act that followed—in which performers had to make these bland conceits into something funny without, ostensibly, preparing any jokes in advance—introduced a tension that made sketch shows feel sedate and uneven by comparison.

— Dan Brooks, New Yorker, 10 Oct. 2026
Tennessee’s execution protocol relies on pentobarbital, a caustic barbiturate that slows down breathing and has been used to treat seizures, sedate people before surgery and euthanize animals.

— Keri Blakinger, ProPublica, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of sedate

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serious-minded

serious-mindedness

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“Serious-minded.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/serious-minded. Accessed 29 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of serious-minded

adjective

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